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* THE GLASS FACTORY. *
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.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-
=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=
*=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=*
%*=-.¨¨¨¨¨ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¨¨¨¨¨.-=*%
@%*=-.¨¨¨¨ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ¨¨¨¨.-=*%@
@@%*=-.¨¨¨ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ¨¨¨.-=*%@@
#@@%*=-.¨¨ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ¨¨.-=*%@@#
##@@%*=-.¨ AND A GIFT SHOP. ¨.-=*%@@##
#@@%*=-.¨¨ ¨¨.-=*%@@#
@@%*=-.¨¨¨ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ¨¨¨.-=*%@@
@%*=-.¨¨¨¨ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ¨¨¨¨.-=*%@
%*=-.¨¨¨¨¨ CONSIDERED POOR. ¨¨¨¨¨.-=*%
*=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=*
=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=
-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-
=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=
*=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=*
%*=-.¨¨¨¨¨ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ¨¨¨¨¨.-=*%
@%*=-.¨¨¨¨ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ¨¨¨¨.-=*%@
@@%*=-.¨¨¨ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ¨¨¨.-=*%@@
#@@%*=-.¨¨ ¨¨.-=*%@@#
##@@%*=-.¨ ** ¨.-=*%@@##
#@@%*=-.¨¨ ** ** ¨¨.-=*%@@#
@@%*=-.¨¨¨ ------- * * ------- ¨¨¨.-=*%@@
@%*=-.¨¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨¨.-=*%@
%*=-.¨¨¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨¨¨.-=*%
*=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=*
=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=
-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-
=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=
*=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=*
%*=-.¨¨¨¨¨ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¨¨¨¨¨.-=*%
@%*=-.¨¨¨¨ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ¨¨¨¨.-=*%@
@@%*=-.¨¨¨ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ¨¨¨.-=*%@@
#@@%*=-.¨¨ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ¨¨.-=*%@@#
##@@%*=-.¨ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ¨.-=*%@@##
#@@%*=-.¨¨ ¨¨.-=*%@@#
@@%*=-.¨¨¨ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ¨¨¨.-=*%@@
@%*=-.¨¨¨¨ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ¨¨¨¨.-=*%@
%*=-.¨¨¨¨¨ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ¨¨¨¨¨.-=*%
*=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=*
=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=
-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LIT FROM BEHIND. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-
=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=
*=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=*
%*=-.¨¨¨¨¨ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¨¨¨¨¨.-=*%
@%*=-.¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨.-=*%@
@@%*=-.¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨.-=*%@@
#@@%*=-.¨¨ ** ** ¨¨.-=*%@@#
##@@%*=-.¨ ------- * * ------- ¨.-=*%@@##
#@@%*=-.¨¨ ** ** ¨¨.-=*%@@#
@@%*=-.¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨.-=*%@@
@%*=-.¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨.-=*%@
%*=-.¨¨¨¨¨ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ¨¨¨¨¨.-=*%
*=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=*
=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=
-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-
=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=
*=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=*
%*=-.¨¨¨¨¨ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¨¨¨¨¨.-=*%
@%*=-.¨¨¨¨ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ¨¨¨¨.-=*%@
@@%*=-.¨¨¨ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ¨¨¨.-=*%@@
#@@%*=-.¨¨ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ¨¨.-=*%@@#
##@@%*=-.¨ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ¨.-=*%@@##
#@@%*=-.¨¨ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ¨¨.-=*%@@#
@@%*=-.¨¨¨ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ¨¨¨.-=*%@@
@%*=-.¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨.-=*%@
%*=-.¨¨¨¨¨ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ¨¨¨¨¨.-=*%
*=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=*
=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=
-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FLOOR. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-
=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=
*=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=*
%*=-.¨¨¨¨¨ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ¨¨¨¨¨.-=*%
@%*=-.¨¨¨¨ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¨¨¨¨.-=*%@
@@%*=-.¨¨¨ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ¨¨¨.-=*%@@
#@@%*=-.¨¨ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ¨¨.-=*%@@#
##@@%*=-.¨ ¨.-=*%@@##
#@@%*=-.¨¨ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ¨¨.-=*%@@#
@@%*=-.¨¨¨ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ¨¨¨.-=*%@@
@%*=-.¨¨¨¨ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ¨¨¨¨.-=*%@
%*=-.¨¨¨¨¨ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ¨¨¨¨¨.-=*%
*=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=*
=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=
-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BECOME STILL. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ------- * * ------- ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-
=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=
*=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=*
%*=-.¨¨¨¨¨ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ¨¨¨¨¨.-=*%
@%*=-.¨¨¨¨ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ¨¨¨¨.-=*%@
@@%*=-.¨¨¨ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ¨¨¨.-=*%@@
#@@%*=-.¨¨ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ¨¨.-=*%@@#
##@@%*=-.¨ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ¨.-=*%@@##
#@@%*=-.¨¨ ¨¨.-=*%@@#
@@%*=-.¨¨¨ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ¨¨¨.-=*%@@
@%*=-.¨¨¨¨ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ¨¨¨¨.-=*%@
%*=-.¨¨¨¨¨ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ¨¨¨¨¨.-=*%
*=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=*
=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=
-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
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